American Indian and Alaska Native Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (AI/AN FACES)

Project Overview

The Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) is a major source of information on Head Start programs and the children and families they serve. Since 1997, FACES has conducted studies in a nationally representative sample of Head Start programs, but has historically not included Region XI, whose programs are designed to serve predominantly AI/AN children and families. AI/AN FACES, designed to fill this information gap, was first fielded in 2015, and another cohort of AI/AN FACES is being planned to be fielded in 2019.

The design of AI/AN FACES 2015 was informed by members of the AI/AN FACES Workgroup which includes tribal Head Start directors, members of the National Indian Head Start Directors’ Association (NIHSDA) Board of Directors, researchers with expertise working with tribal communities, Mathematica Policy Research study staff, and federal officials from the Office of Head Start, Region XI, and the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation. Members of the AI/AN FACES 2015 Workgroup have shared insights and information on the kinds of information needed about Region XI Head Start programs (including children’s development and school readiness, parent and family demographics, health, and program engagement, and teacher, classroom, and program characteristics). Members have also recommended recruitment practices that are responsive to the unique cultural and self-governing contexts of tribal Head Start programs.

Data collection with Region XI children, families, classrooms, and programs was conducted in the Fall of 2015 and Spring of 2016. Twenty-one Region XI Head Start programs were included. Procedures for tribal review and approval in each of those 21 communities was followed; programs are only included once tribal approval is in place. Information about this study has been shared broadly with tribal Head Start programs and tribal leaders via OHS tribal consultations, nationally-broadcast webinars, NIHSDA annual conferences, the Head Start National Research Conference on Early Childhood, the National Research Conference on Early Childhood, and the Secretary’s Tribal Advisory Council (STAC).

AI/AN FACES Workgroup

The Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start and Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation have planned the study to be responsive of the needs of Region XI Head Start children, families and programs. The AI/AN FACES 2015 study design reflects advice from members of the AI/AN FACES Workgroup, comprised of Region XI Head Start directors, researchers, and federal officials (listed below). The members of the Workgroup share a commitment to addressing cultural issues in how the study will be carried out and findings shared with the Head Start community. A new workgroup will be created for AI/AN FACES 2019.

AI/AN FACES Workgroup

Member

Organizational Affiliation

Tribal Head Start Partners

Willow Abrahamson*(12/2013-12/2014)

Shoshone-Bannock Tribes

Collette Berg*(12/2013-12/2014)

Cheyenne & Arapahoe Tribes

Patty Brown

Karuk Tribe Head Start

Ann Cameron

Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan Head Start

Myrna Dingman*(6/2014-1/2017)

Pueblo of San Felipe Head Start

Lana Garcia

Pueblo of Jemez Head Start

Jacki Haight

Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe Head Start

Kirstin (Hisatake) Nilles*(12/2013-8/2015)

Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Head Start

Charmaine Lundy

Kenaitze Indian Tribe Head Start

Racquel Martinez*(12/2013-7/2017)

Tanana Chiefs Conference Head Start

Laura McKechnie

Sault Ste. Marie Tribe Head Start

Sharon Singer*(1/2015-7/2017)

Navajo Nation Head Start

Teresa Smith

Kenaitze Indian Tribe Head Start

Mavany Calac Verdugo

Rincon Band of Luiseno Indians Head Start

University Research Partners

Jessica Barnes-Najor

Michigan State University, Tribal Early Childhood Research Center

Hiram Fitzgerald

Michigan State University, Tribal Early Childhood Research Center

Douglas Novins*(12/2013-7/2014)

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Centers for American Indian & Alaska Native Health, Tribal Early Childhood Research Center

Michelle Sarche

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Centers for American Indian & Alaska Native Health, Tribal Early Childhood Research Center

Monica Tsethlikai

Arizona State University

Nancy Rumbaugh Whitesell

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Centers for American Indian & Alaska Native Health, Tribal Early Childhood Research Center

Study Research Partners

Sara Bernstein

Mathematica Policy Research

Barbara Lepidus Carlson

Mathematica Policy Research

Lizabeth Malone

Mathematica Policy Research

Jerry West

Mathematica Policy Research

Federal Partners

Meryl Barofsky

Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation

Robert Bialas*(12/2013-11/2015)

Office of Head Start

Angie Godfrey

Office of Head Start

Laura Hoard

Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation

Aleta Meyer

Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation

Mary Mueggenborg

Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation

WJ Strickland

Office of Head Start

Maria Woolverton

Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation

The points of contact for this project are Meryl Yoches Barofsky, Laura Hoard, and Mary Mueggenborg.

Since 1997, the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) has been a regular source of nationally representative data on Head Start programs, centers, classrooms, children, and families. Until the 2015–2016 program year, however, FACES had not been conducted in Region XI AI/AN Head Start programs. This was due in part to the time and resources required...

Since 1997, the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) has been a regular source of nationally representative data on Head Start programs, centers, classrooms, children, and families. Until the 2015–2016 program year, however, FACES had not been conducted in Region XI AI/AN Head Start programs. This was due in part to the time and resources required to engage in the intensive community-based planning and implementation process needed to successfully carry out the study...

he American Indian and Alaska Native Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (AI/AN FACES 2015) is the first national study of Region XI American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Head Start children...

It is important for Head Start to have information about children’s and families’ strengths and needs over the course of the program year. We examine Region XI Head Start children’s growth in cognitive skills (in language, literacy, and mathematics), social-emotional skills, and executive function during the program year to learn about their progress toward being ready for school. We also consider children’s physical health at the end of the program year...

AI/AN FACES 2015 is the first national study of Region XI AI/AN Head Start children and their families, classrooms, and programs. This set of tables presents data on the demographic backgrounds and developmental outcomes of children enrolled in Region XI AI/AN Head Start programs during the 2015–16 Head Start year. The tables also detail aspects of their home environment and family life. Data on children’s classrooms, teachers, centers, and programs...

AI/AN FACES 2015 is the first national study of Region XI AI/AN Head Start children and their families, classrooms, and programs. To date, the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) has been a major source of descriptive information on Head Start and preschool children ages 3 to 5 years old who attend the program. FACES gathers data from Regions I-X...

This webinar presents findings on children’s cultural and language experiences in Head Start classrooms, at home, and in the community from the American Indian and Alaska Native Family and Child Experiences Survey of 2015 (AIAN FACES 2015). AIAN FACES 2015 is a rich source of information about Region XI Head Start children and families, including...

This webinar presents the initial findings from the first nationally representative study of Region XI Head Start programs run by tribal communities. The webinar describes the planning for this study, including engagement and consultation with tribal Head Start directors, federal program staff, university based researchers, and contractor staff. Next, the webinar reviews the study design, response rates, and shares some initial findings from Fall 2015 data collection...

Nationally, about 35,575 American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children and their families are served by Head Start, with just over half served by 150 tribally run Head Start programs in Region XI. While we have a wealth of information about Head Start children and families in general, through data collected for the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES), Region XI programs have never been included in this study. The American Indian and Alaska Native Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (AI/AN FACES) is designed to collect information from a representative sample of children, families and programs in Region XI, with tribal voices at the forefront...